This invention relates in general to a blade holder for a parallel arm scroll saw and, more particularly, to a multiple position blade holder for varying the angle of the blade relative to a work surface to achieve an optimum cutting action for the thickness of the material being cut.
Scroll saws are commonly used by both craftsmen and amateurs for fine wood work. Parallel arms hold the blade in place and reciprocate in unison to accomplish a precise cutting action. Existing scroll saws hold the saw blade in a single position or angle with respect to the work surface. Typically, a scroll saw having a single position blade holder holds the saw blade substantially vertical relative to a work piece resting on a substantially horizontal work surface. Consequently, each work piece is cut by a saw blade that is substantially perpendicular to it.
However, it has been discovered that a substantially perpendicular cut is not desirable for every work piece. A problem sometimes encountered with scroll saws is that the saw blade will bow when attempting to cut relatively thick materials, that is, materials with a thickness of one inch or more. Another problem arises in cutting very thin materials, which have a tendency to lift up off the cutting surface when making contact with the blade. Typically, this lifting problem occurs when a conventional scroll saw is utilized to cut materials with a thickness of one-quarter of an inch or less.